SUNY College at Potsdam

Potsdam, NY 1,823 Undergrads 52.7% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$25,083

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$13,624

After Aid

Median Earnings

$49,169

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,624

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$49,169

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate52.7%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients44.1%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time95.7%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS66.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

77.7%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$447k

-$20k

-$38k

Median Cost$14k/yr

+$398k

-$69k

-$87k

Full Cost$25k/yr

+$356k

-$111k

-$128k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$14k/yr

Never

-177%

Full Cost$25k/yr

Never

-142%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-152%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-88%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$25,194

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

-$285k

Archeology

BachCIP: 4503

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,748

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management

BachCIP: 5010

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$52,583

Natl Median: $48,240

Lifetime Value Added

-$58k

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$23,041

Earnings (4yr)

$49,725

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$82k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$22,562

Earnings (4yr)

$57,066

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

-$21k

Business/Managerial Economics

BachCIP: 5206

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $77,981

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$43,686

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$133k

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$104,292

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

+$327k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$53,597

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$50k

Dance

BachCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,980

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

$26,208

Earnings (4yr)

$33,581

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

-$220k

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$24,412

Earnings (4yr)

$48,920

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$89k

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$30,688

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$246k

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$62,004

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

+$18k

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

BachCIP: 5100

Median Debt

$26,706

Earnings (4yr)

$50,659

Natl Median: $61,296

Lifetime Value Added

-$74k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

$45,234

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$120k

International/Globalization Studies

BachCIP: 3020

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,972

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

$22,191

Earnings (5yr)

$51,887

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$73k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

$26,262

Earnings (4yr)

$36,677

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

-$194k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (5yr)

$38,661

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

-$183k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences

BachCIP: 2609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,172

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$48,601

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$92k

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$38,562

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

-$177k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$51,086

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$71k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$23,850

Earnings (4yr)

$53,834

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$48k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$57,949

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$14k

Visual and Performing Arts, General

BachCIP: 5001

Median Debt

$26,474

Earnings (4yr)

$33,743

Natl Median: $41,688

Lifetime Value Added

-$219k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$59,773

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

-$150k

Curriculum and Instruction

MastCIP: 1303

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,399

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Educational/Instructional Media Design

MastCIP: 1305

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $70,644

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

MastCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$41,565

Natl Median: $62,739

Lifetime Value Added

-$298k

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$59,529

Natl Median: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

-$153k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$27,849

Earnings (5yr)

$53,435

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

-$209k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

MastCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$55,064

Natl Median: $63,707

Lifetime Value Added

-$194k

Graduate Certificates

Special Education and Teaching

Gr-CertCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,147

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.